Young Guian resided on a farm during his youth and in 1862 enlisted amongst the ranks of the Confederacy, joining Company G. of the 18th Missouri Infantry. As an ordnance sergeant, Walker engaged in skirmishes at Newtonia and Humansville, Missouri, and in July 1863 was taken prisoner at the Battle of Helena in Arkansas. After spending a number of months in captivity in Illinois and Fort Delaware Walker returned to service and in 1863 was transferred to a sharpshooting regiment.

Upon his return to civilian life Walker married to Mary A. Roberts in Fannin County, Texas in September 1865. The couple were wed for over fifty-five years and their union saw the births of five children: Virgil (1866-1933), Cora Etha Isabelle (1868-1952), Susan (1870-1893), Mary Lulu (1872-1902) and John Franklin (1874-1912). Following his marriage Walker and his wife returned to Cedar County and for a brief period Walker worked at both farming and teaching school.

In the late 1860s Walker abandoned teaching and settled into life as a farmer, "owning and maintaining a valuable farm near Stockton." Active in the Stockton community, Walker was a parishioner at the Methodist Episcopal Church and was also a member of the Knights of Pythias and secretary of his local masonic chapter.

Guian L. Walker was first called to political life in 1874, when he was elected as Cedar County collector. After a two year stint in that post he won election as Cedar County clerk, a post he held for two terms (1878-1886.) In 1912 he was returned to public office, winning election as Judge for Cedar County's Southern district. Walker's time on the bench extended from 1913-15 and he died on March 29, 1921 at his home in Stockton, Missouri, his cause of death being attributed to "heart trouble." His wife Mary survived him by nine years and following her death in 1930 was interred alongside him at the Stockton Cemetery.

Tuesday, July 25, 2017

Texas native Stillwell Heady Russell left an imprint in the political life of two different states, being a district attorney, congressional candidate, U.S. Marshal and constitutional convention delegate in Texas and, following his removal to Oklahoma in 1899, was elected as a district court judge. Russell reached his highest degree of public prominence in 1914 when he was appointed as an Associate Justice of the Oklahoma Supreme Court, serving in that capacity until his death two months later.

Having twice declined an offer to run for Congress, Russell set his sights on a congressional seat in 1876, announcing his candidacy for the U.S. House of Representatives from Texas' 2nd congressional district. Hoping to oust one term incumbent Democrat David Culberson (1830-1900), Russell's candidacy was boomed by both the Tyler Index and the Galveston Daily News, which noted that

"Colonel Russell is an able man, every way worthy of the position, and would do honor to the Republican party in Congress."

On election day in November 1876 Russell lost out in the vote count, with David Culberson defeating him by a wide margin, 17, 326 votes to 9, 130. While he may have been defeated, Russell's political career was far from over, and shortly after his congressional defeat was elected as Tax Collector for Harrison County. He resigned that post in 1877 and in the following year was appointed by President Hayes as U.S. Marshal for the Western district of Texas.

"We have very carefully investigated the official conduct of Mr. Russell, as United States marshal, and can scarcely conceive of a worse condition of things than our inquiries have developed. To say nothing of his unlawful financial transactions, the full extent of which cannot be known short of a judicial investigation, he has nowhere or at no time filled the measure of requirement of United States marshal. His neglect of official duty, his impositions upon individuals, and his apparent lack of respect for public opinion, have subjected the department to sever criticism and unjust abuse."

"Try and begin life again, taking up the practice of law which I formerly followed. I feel assured of a cordial welcome by my town's people."

Russell proved to be right in his assessment of his fellow citizens, as he was welcomed back with "generous receptions and cordial greetings." In a write up concerning his release, the San Antonio Light remarked that:

"He does not come back with a grievance, nor does he proclaim that he has any settlements to make with any one. Public opinion long ago exonerated him from any complicity in the acts which deposed him from public life, and time will prove that those that were instrumental in his persecution that they have builded him up."

"A great lawyer; a just and faithful judge. His name and fame are identified as closely with the judicial history of our state as that, perhaps, of any other lawyer or judge. And his worth and character were known and prized by none more than by the members of the Court of Appeals. It was the good fortune of each of us to know him personally for many years, and from our knowledge of him as a jurist, lawyer and citizen, we know that no eulogium extolling his character and ability would be fulsome or extravagant when ranking him amongst the greatest and most distinguished of our lawyers and judges."

Russell's obituary from the Daily Ardmoreite, May 21, 1914.

From the History of Kentucky: From its Earliest Discovery and Settlement, 1892.

Tuesday, July 18, 2017

The Oklahoma Constitutional Convention of 1906-07 could boast of a few oddly named delegates, and following yesterday's profile on Delphos Green Harned we highlight the life of Taddy Owen James, a delegate to the aforementioned convention from Oklahoma's 1st district. Born in Dodgeville Wisconsin on January 15, 1863, Taddy O. James was the son of the Rev. William Eynon and Hannah (Edmund) James, both natives of Wales.

Taddy O. James married in 1897 to Mary Elizabeth Maughan (1862-1926), with whom he had two children, William Edmund (1899-1981) and Elsie Mae (1902-1989). Following his resettlement in the Oklahoma Territory in September 1897 James purchased a ranch near Guymon, where he raised stock. In 1904 he became secretary of the newly established Stockmen of Northwest Oklahoma, an organization that aimed to keep "the range free in that locality." James would also help draft the by-laws and rules of that group and it completed permanent organization in March 1904.

In November 1906 Taddy O. James was elected as a delegate to the Oklahoma Constitutional Convention that would convene at Guthrie. He resigned his position on the board of county commissioners that December and during the convention proceedings served on the committees on Agriculture, Privileges and Elections, Revenue and Taxation, Salaries and Compensation of Public Officers and State and School Lands.

Following his time at the constitutional convention James returned to his ranch in Beaver County and in October 1907 added the title of railroad director to his resume, becoming one of several directors of the newly chartered Guymon and Southern Railroad Co. In the early 1920s James sold his ranch and removed with his wife Mary to Des Moines, New Mexico. Widowed in 1926, James spent the remainder of his life in Des Moines, dying there on July 8, 1934 at age 71. He and his wife were both interred at the Des Moines Cemetery in that town.

Monday, July 17, 2017

We continue our stay in Oklahoma for a peek at the life of Delphos Green Harned, a transplant to that state from Breckinridge County, Kentucky. A farmer and clothing merchant following his resettlement, Harned served as a member of the Oklahoma Constitutional Convention of 1906-1907, helping to frame the laws of the then newly admitted 46th state. Born on January 11, 1872 in Hudson, Kentucky, Delphos G. Harned was one of several children born to Henry Clay and Martha Jane (Green) Harned.

Little is known of Harned's life in Kentucky, excepting notice of his marriage n Breckinridge County to Euzada Americus "Zada" Board in January 1895. The couple's fifty-four year union saw the births of six children, Wallace Elbert (1896-1911), Owen Gilbert (1898-1983), Wilbur Lee (1901-1970), Edith Irene (1904-1997), Velma Beatrice (1907-1988) and Harle Cruce (1911-1983).

By the late 1890s Delphos Harned had removed to Oklahoma and after establishing roots in the town of Ringwood farmed and raised stock. In 1906 he was elected as a Democratic delegate from the territory's 9th district to the Oklahoma Constitutional Convention that was to be held in Guthrie. Taking his seat in late 1906, Harned served on the committees on Education, Enrollment, Privileges and Elections, State and School Lands, Liquor Traffic and Public Health and Sanitation.

Friday, July 14, 2017

Native Hoosier Clarous Rouser Johnston would find distinction in Oklahoma law circles following his resettlement in Caddo County in the late 1900s, and earns placement here on the site due to his service as Judge of Caddo County, a post he would first seek in 1912. The son of Alfred Homer and Debbie (Morgan) Johnson, Clarous R. Johnson was born on September 24, 1880 in Monroe County, Indiana.

Johnston attended school in Harrodsburg and after graduating from the local high school in 1896 began a teaching career in Monroe County that extended into the 1900s. He would serve intermittently as a principal and in 1902 enrolled in the law department of the University of Indiana. He earned his bachelor of laws degree in 1905 and shortly thereafter established his first practice in Bloomington. Johnston's stay in that city proved to be brief, as he removed to Bedford, Indiana the following year. Johnston practiced law in Bedford until December 1909, when he pulled up stakes once again, this time relocating to Caddo County, Oklahoma.

Soon after his arrival in Anadarko Johnston formed a law firm with R.K. Robinson and in 1912 made his first move into Oklahoma politics, becoming the Democratic candidate for Caddo County judge. Johnston lost out on election day that year to Republican C. Ross Hume (1878-1960). In 1913 Johnston was elected as City Attorney for Anadarko, and held that post until his resignation in 1914, when he was again a candidate for county judge. Johnston was the victor at the polls that November and officially entered into his duties in January 1915.

Tuesday, July 11, 2017

The recent discovery of the name of Finette Benson Nichols comes as a welcome surprise, as oddly named female political figures remain difficult to come by! An eight term member of the Connecticut House of Representatives between 1931 and 1947, Nichols etched her name into the history books when she became the first woman to represent Fairfield in the state legislature.

In 1930 Nichols was elected as one of two representatives from Fairfield to the Connecticut legislature, receiving 2,076 votes. She would be reelected to a further seven terms in the state house and her lengthy term of service saw her serve on the committees on Claims, Public Welfare, Human Institutions, Labor, Towns and Cities.

Nichols' final term in the legislature concluded in 1947 and she died the following year at age 83. Nichols had never married and was interred at the Fairfield East Cemetery, the same resting place as that of her parents.

Sunday, July 9, 2017

I always welcome a new strange name discovery from Nebraska, and in the near six years this site has been online just nine political figures from the Cornhusker State have warranted write-ups here. With the addition of Eliphus Hibbard Rogers (a member of the Nebraska territorial council and state senate) that number grows slightly, and I was extremely pleased to have located not only ample information on this otherwise obscure figure, but also a portrait!

Johnson married in December 1878 to Kate Miller (1859-1941), with whom he had several children, including: Christian Delone (born 1879), Robert Graham (1882-1954), Eliza (born 1886), Mary Estelle (born 1888), Katie (born 1890), Walter Seth (1892-1947), Corinne (born 1895), Sherman (born 1898) and Mabel (born 1902).

A prominent Democrat in Wilkinson County, Moffett D. Johnson served several years on the county's Democratic executive committee, and was a member of the local Farmer's Union. Elected to the Mississippi House of Representatives in November 1911, Johnson served during the 1912-16 term and held seats on the committees on Agriculture, Census and Apportionment, Claims, County Affairs and the Penitentiary.

Little information is available on Johnson's life following his term, excepting notice of his death in 1936 and his burial at the Macedonia Cemetery in Wilkinson County, under the name "Moffette D. Johnson". Curiously, Johnson's wife Kate was interred at a different cemetery, her burial occurring at the Gloster Cemetery in Amite County, Mississippi.